What exactly is CacaoCash?

CacaoCash is a digital wallet built for people who travel or live in Latin America. It lets you pay with the QR codes locals use every day — Pix in Brazil, Mercado Pago in Argentina, and more — using money you load from abroad. No local bank account, no cash runs, no bad exchange rates.

How do I add money to my wallet?

Several ways — whatever's easiest for you: • ACH or SEPA bank transfer • Credit or debit card • SWIFT bank transfer • Crypto deposit (USDC and other major assets — paste your address or scan from any wallet) You'll always see the exact rate and any fees before you confirm. No surprises.

Do I need to verify my identity?

Yes, once. It's a quick in-app process — a photo of your ID and a selfie. It keeps your account secure and lets us work with regulated financial partners across the region. Most people finish in under 3 minutes.

What if a payment is pending, fails, or I get a refund?

Pending payments usually clear on their own within minutes. If a payment fails, your balance is returned immediately. Refunds land straight back in your wallet — no waiting, no friction. If anything ever looks wrong, our support team is one message away.

Are there hidden fees?

Never. Before every single payment, you'll see: • The exact amount being charged • The live exchange rate • Any applicable fees What you approve is exactly what leaves your wallet. That's a promise.

How do I know my money is safe?

CacaoCash is non-custodial — your funds are never pooled with anyone else's and every transaction requires your explicit approval. Identity verification and money movement are handled by licensed, regulated partners. You stay in control at all times.

Which countries are live?

CacaoCash is live today in: • 🇦🇷 Argentina — Mercado Pago QR Coming soon: • 🇧🇷 Brazil — Pix • 🇨🇴 Colombia • 🇵🇪 Peru — Yape

I lost my phone. What happens to my money?

Nothing bad. Your account is tied to your identity, not your device. Just install the app on a new phone, sign in, and everything is exactly as you left it — balance, transaction history, all of it.

How to Travel Argentina Without Cash (2026): Pay by QR and Transfer

Argentina might be the easiest country in Latin America to travel without carrying cash, if you know how locals actually pay. Day to day, Argentines barely use bills. They pay by scanning QR codes and by sending instant bank transfers to an alias, CVU, or CBU. As a foreigner without a DNI you can do almost exactly the same, and skip the ATM lines, the cueva runs, and the security risk of walking around with a wad of pesos.

This guide is for tourists, digital nomads, and expats who want to spend in pesos without handling cash. The short version: pay merchants by QR, send people pesos by transfer, and fund both from a USD balance at the crypto dollar rate with CacaoCash, no DNI or local bank required.

Why skip cash in Argentina

ATMs are expensive and capped. Argentine ATMs charge fixed fees of roughly US$8 to US$15 per withdrawal and cap how much you can take out. See our guide to cheaper cash.
Cuevas and the blue rate are a hassle. Changing dollars for cash means carrying USD, finding a trusted spot, and counting bills. With the gap between rates now small, it is rarely worth it.
Carrying cash is a risk. Pesos lose value fast and large bills attract attention. Less cash on you is simply safer.
Most places prefer digital anyway. Cafes, restaurants, shops, supermarkets, and even many taxis and street stalls take QR. Transfers cover everything else.

1. Pay shops, cafes and taxis by QR

QR is the default way to pay a business in Argentina. You open the app, scan the merchant's Mercado Pago, MODO, or bank QR, type the amount if needed, and confirm. With CacaoCash the pesos come from your USD balance at the crypto dollar rate, no DNI and no Argentine account. Full walkthrough: how to pay QR codes in Argentina without a DNI, including paying Mercado Pago as a foreigner.

2. Send pesos to people by transfer

For anything that is not a merchant QR, rent, a friend, a landlord, a freelancer, splitting a dinner, you send a peso transfer to their alias, CVU, or CBU. When someone says pasame tu alias, this is what they mean. You can send to any of them straight from your dollars: how to send pesos to an alias, CBU or CVU. Paying for a place to stay? See how to pay rent in Buenos Aires.

Not sure what an alias, CVU or CBU even is? Start with CBU, CVU and alias explained.

The few places you still need a little cash

Cashless covers the vast majority of spending, but keep a small amount of pesos for the edges: some tiny kioscos, ferias and craft markets, rural areas, tips in cash, and the occasional taxi that only takes bills. A modest cushion handles these; you do not need to fund your whole trip in cash.

How CacaoCash makes it cashless

CacaoCash is a USD wallet for foreigners in Argentina. You hold dollars, and when you pay it converts to pesos at the crypto dollar rate, the favorable side of the roughly 10 percent gap a foreign card charges. You can pay any QR and send to any alias, CVU or CBU, all without a DNI or local bank account. For every payment method, see the Argentina payments cheat sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I really travel Argentina without cash?

Almost entirely. QR and transfers cover shops, restaurants, transport and rent. Keep a small amount of pesos for tiny vendors, markets and tips.

Do I need a DNI to pay by QR or transfer?

No. With CacaoCash you pay QR and send to any alias, CVU or CBU using only a foreign passport, no DNI and no Argentine bank account.

Is it cheaper than using my foreign card?

Usually yes. A foreign card converts at the non-resident rate; paying pesos at the crypto dollar rate is around 10 percent more pesos per dollar, on every purchase.